Era 1, 1200 CE - 1450 CE : Ancient Religions + SE Asia/India (Quizlet #8)

Buddhism 550 BCE to Present

A major religion that emerged in the 500s BC. ______________ urged people to seek enlightenment through meditation and its founder was Siddhartha Gautama.

-The core of __________ are the Four Noble Truths--basically that all human suffering is caused by desire. If we can eliminate desire, and live a simple life, you can end suffering.

-to live a good life, and end suffering, you need to follow the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path urges you to walk the middle ground--don't be too greedy, or too harsh. Stay in the middle, lead a good life, and you will reach salvation (nirvana).

-So you need to know Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, and Nirvana!

Siddhartha Gautama 550 BCE

-Founder of Buddhism in 550 BCE

-Also known simply as The Buddha

-At first, he was one of the richest Brahmin sons and was showered with luxury for his whole life. After seeing the sick and poor, _____________went away and starved himself under a tree. He became free of everything from life, and began to feel enlightened, and found the way to end suffering.

-Buddhism will be based off of his teachings.

Buddha translates from the word the enlightened one.

Key terms are Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, and Nirvana!

The Four Noble Truths

-The core of Buddhism are the _________________--basically that all human suffering is caused by desire.

1. Life is suffering

2. There is a cause to suffering

3. There is an end to suffering

4. The end to suffering will come if you follow the eight fold path

If we can eliminate desire, and live a simple life, you can end suffering.

The Eightfold Path

-to live a good life, and end suffering, you need to follow the __________. The __________ urges you to walk the middle ground--don't be too greedy, or too harsh. Stay in the middle, lead a good life, and you will reach salvation [being saved].

-Avoid a life of extremes--stay in the middle, stay calm, and you will reach salvation (nirvana)!

Nirvana

For Buddhists, a state of Enlightenment. After long periods of meditation, if you have followed the Eightfold Path, you reach "nirvana"--a state where you have peace and knowledge. This is the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, to get to ________________.

Mahayana Buddhism

-Another type of Buddhism

-Was a little bit less strict, easier to follow than traditional Buddhism

-Merchants and others helped it spread from India to China, Japan, and Central Asia

The Rig Veda

-The "______________________________" were songs and prayers honoring the Aryan gods; they were finally written down in 600 BCE

-The ________________________ would form the basis of the caste system, which would exist for thousands of years in India

-The Vedic Religions would also form the basis for Hinduism

-Therefore, the Vedic Religions are some of the oldest religions in the world that still exist today in some form. And they have had a HUGE influence on India and Hinduism

Hinduism 500 BCE to Present

A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being, Brahma, who takes many forms.

-In Hinduism, there are many gods that are worshipped, so it is polytheistic to some extent. However, all the gods share some of the essence of Brahma, so in some ways you could argue it is monotheistic.

-Originally based on the Vedas (1500 BCE) one of the oldest religions in the world

-Emphasizes that depending on how you live, you will be reborn into a higher or lower social class. If you have good KARMA, you will be reborn into a higher class. If you have bad KARMA, you will be reborn into a lower class.

-Hinduism also emphasizes Dharma--these are the moral duties or the code that you need to follow in order to be successful. If you do this correctly, you will be reborn into a higher caste (social class).A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being, Brahma, who takes many forms.

-In Hinduism, there are many gods that are worshipped, so it is polytheistic to some extent. However, all the gods share some of the essence of Brahma, so in some ways you could argue it is monotheistic.

-Originally based on the Vedas (1500 BCE) one of the oldest religions in the world

-Emphasizes that depending on how you live, you will be reborn into a higher or lower social class. If you have good KARMA, you will be reborn into a higher class. If you have bad KARMA, you will be reborn into a lower class.

-Hinduism also emphasizes Dharma--these are the moral duties or the code that you need to follow in order to be successful. If you do this correctly, you will be reborn into a higher caste (social class).

Dharma

-Hinduism was derived from the Vedic Religions and the Rig Veda, which was brought in by the Aryan invaders

-In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties. You need to follow this code correctly, and if you do, you will be reborn into a higher caste or social class.

-Therefore, the idea of _______________ helped contribute to the social caste system in India

Karma

If you follow Hinduism properly, you will have this and you will be reborn into a higher caste. If you don't follow the rules of Hinduism, you will have bad ___________ and you will be reborn into a lower class or maybe even as a bug or animal.

The Upanishads 600 BCE

-Originally based on the Vedas (1500 BCE) one of the oldest religions in the world, and the Rig Vedas

-Hindu scholars looked at the Rig Vedas and wanted to create texts for the foundation or basis of Hinduism. This is the foundational text of Hinduism, and is actually roughly 200 texts that are contained in a collection

-The __________________ outline the rules and codes of Hinduism, and lay out the path that you can follow in order to gain salvation

-They include discussion of karma and dharma as well

-Emphasizes that depending on how you live, you will be reborn into a higher or lower social class. If you have good KARMA, you will be reborn into a higher class. If you have bad KARMA, you will be reborn into a lower class.

-Hinduism also emphasizes Dharma--these are the moral duties or the code that you need to follow in order to be successful. If you do this correctly, you will be reborn into a higher caste (social clas

The Bhagavad Gita 400 BCE

-"Song of the Lord"; one of the Indian epics

-400 BCE

-This is the single most important, most sacred Hindu text, although the Upanishads are very holy as well

-The text is set as a conversation between a Hindu prince and Lord Krishna, discussing what the Prince should do according to dharma and karma

-Laid out the principle rules of Hinduism; lays out the rules to follow and how you will achieve rebirth or salvation into a higher or lower caste.

-Still sacred today, and Gandhi called it his "spiritual dictionary"

-It is also considered an "Indian epic" piece of literature and you could use it an essay about culture/literature

The Caste System

-Social Class system in South Asia/India

-Came from the Vedic Religions and the Aryan invasion

-Four main classes:

1) Brahmins (priests);

2) Warriors (kshatriyas);

3) Middle class Peasant farmers and Merchants (vaishyas) and

4) serfs or lower class peasant farmers (shudras)

It was difficult to move up in caste and class, and this was a big part of Indian life for thousands of years.

Khmer Empire in SE ASIA (889 CE to 1431 CE)

-Indian culture had a big influence on Southeast Asia, as Hinduism and Buddhism spread from India to SE Asia.

-In present day Cambodia, a powerful kingdom known for building beautiful temples sprang up, the kingdom of Angkor

-Originally, this SE Asian kingdom was Hindu; they built an amazing temple known as Angkor Thom, and this temple and the entire city were designed to be a reflection of Hinduism, as there were Hindu sculptures, carvings, and statues everywhere

-in the 1200's and 1300's, the Angkor kingdom started to become influenced by Buddhism. They began to build magnificent Buddhist temples around the outsides of their cities, without destroying the Hindu Temples

-The most magnificent temple they ever built was known as Angkor Wat, and it shows the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism. It is currently the largest religious monument in the world!

-Eventually Angkor fell to Thai invaders, and the jungle re-claimed the temples for hundreds of years...until the 1800's, when French explorers found the temples-Mr. McNulty has visited Angkor Wat and it is probably the coolest place he has ever been

Khmer Empire: Angkor Wat 1100 CE

-This was the largest and most beautiful temple constructed by the Khmers during the Angkor Kingdom

-In present day Cambodia in Southeast Asia

-The most magnificent temple they ever built was known as _______________________, and it shows the influence of Hinduism and Buddhism in the architecture. It is currently the largest religious monument in the world!

-Eventually Angkor fell to Thai invaders, and the jungle re-claimed the temples for hundreds of years...until the 1800's, when French explorers found the temples

-Things to remember: Huge Religious temple in Southeast Asia, Khmer Empire, was Hindu and then became Buddhist; the religions mixed to some extent, so this is an example of syncretism

-Mr. McNulty has visited Angkor Wat and it is probably the coolest place he has ever been

Lapu-Lapu (1521)

-In SE Asia in the Philippines, the Spanish sent an army with explorer Ferdinand Magellan to try and conquer the native people so they would have a trading post to trade with China

-Many of the native Philippino people gathered and united to resist the Spanish conquest

-Led by _________________________, the indigenous people put up a strong resistance fight

-This leader and his people managed to defeat the Spanish at the Battle of Mactan and kill Magellan

-Today he is still remembered as a massive hero in the Philippines for being the first leader to successfully resist Spanish colonization

Princess Urduja (1300's)

-Legendary warrior princess in the Philippines

-Described by Ibn Battuta as a fierce fighter. Legend has it she wouldn't marry anyone who couldn't beat her in a duel, and many feared to fight her for fear of being disgraced

-impressed Ibn by preparing a grand feast in his honor

-was famous for her leadership, skills in war, intelligence, and her beauty. Also spoke multiple languages

-leader of the Kinalakian, a group of all female warriors in the Philippines, famed for their skill and prowess [skill] in battle.

-Expert sword fighter and equestrian [rider of horses]

-modern hero in the Philippines, shown in TV shows today

Historical Purposes and Effects of Religion, 8,000 BCE to Present

Religion served many purposes in the development of early societies and had many effects. The historical purposes and effects of religion include [these do not try to cover the spiritual effects]:

-Providing an ethical and moral code to live by

-Providing a bond and community among people who shared the same religion

-Social stratification [social classes being separated] was increased as classes of priests reached a higher status than lower classes

-Political stratification (power being separated) was also increased as the elites used religion to justify their rule

-Political rulers, especially absolute monarchs and emperors, used religion to justify their power and explain why they and their heirs (younger family members) should deserve absolute power. Examples include the Mandate of Heaven (China), the Divine Right of Kings (Europe), Incan and Aztec demi-god status of Emperors, etc.

-Religions could also lead to conflict, even armed military conflict, as civilizations with different religions fought each other. It could even lead to Civil War, as within one religion people might argue and fight over the rules (Martin Luther and the Protestants v. the Catholics and the Pope, Sunni Islam v. Shi'a Islam, etc.)

Hebrew Monotheism--Judaism 1300 BCE - Present

-The first group of Hebrews/Jews were the Israelites

-They started this religion in Israel (Middle East) around

_________________________________

-This the first major monotheistic religion, and it is still going strong today

-They lived and prospered in the states of Mesopotamia

-The Hebrews used the same "eye for an eye" philosophy from Hammurabi's Code.

-Eventually the Jews were taken into slavery in Egypt, but Moses led them out of slavery

-King David and King Solomon helped build the power of the Hebrew religion

-The Hebrews would write their scriptures into the Old Testament

-Judaism would become the basis for Christianity

The Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament

-The Hebrews would write their scriptures [rules and stories] into the Old Testament

--The Hebrews used the same "eye for an eye" philosophy from Hammurabi's Code.

-They were written over a long period of time by various scholars;

-The Ten Commandments were included and were told by God to Moses; these included rules to live by (thou shalt not kill, no lying, no thievery, no adultery, etc.)

-The Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament described a monotheistic God who was harsh with those who disobeyed his rules but rewarded those who had faith. He demanded that no other gods be worshipped besides him (Monotheistic)

-Judaism would become the basis for Christianity and the Old Testament

Assyrian and Roman Conquests and the Jewish Diaspora

-In 722 BCE, the Assyrians came and conquered the Jewish states in Israel

-In 586 BCE the Mesopotamian empire of Babylon conquered Israel as well

-Every time Israel was conquered, many Jews fled to other areas of the Mediterranean and SW Asia/Middle East. IF they did not flee, they were also sometimes forced to leave Israel

-This created a Jewish Diaspora (spreading). Judaism began to spread all throughout North Africa, SW Asia, and the Mediterranean region

-Once the Roman Empire conquered the Mediterranean region, Jews continued to be persecuted.

-Judaism would later be the foundation for Christianity, and Christian missionaries like Paul of Tarsus would use the Roman Roads and Mediterranean Sea Lanes to spread Christianity

Jesus of Nazareth (Jesus Christ) 0 BCE

-Founding figure of Christianity

-Taught and preached about kindness, forgiveness, and a love for a monotheistic God

-He was known for being a very charismatic speaker and leader; he recruited lots of "disciples" who became missionaries and spread his message around Eurasia

-Claimed to be the Son of God and his messenger on earth

-Christianity had lots of influence from Judaism and ________________________- was originally Jewish

-He was persecuted by the Roman Empire and crucified (nailed to a cross) on the orders of the Roman Emperor Pontius Pilate. Legend has it that after his death he was reborn again through a miracle.

The Influence of Judaism on Christianity

-Jesus and all of his early followers were all Jews

-Christianity was originally just a sect of Judaism (a part of Judaism) but after Paul of Tarsus started spreading Christianity, Jewish leaders didn't want to be associated with the religion and it became its own religion

-The Bible is composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the Jewish part of the Bible and is still used today in Judaism. The New Testament was the part that was new to Christianity

-The New Testament was written and compiled (put together) by the disciples of Jesus. It contained the story of the life of Jesus and his major teachings and miracles accomplished

-Like Judaism, Christianity demanded living by a strict moral and ethical code according to the Bible

-Also like the Jews, the Christians refused to honor the Roman gods and cults and were therefore persecuted (attacked) by the Romans

Spread of Christianity (Christian Diaspora) 30 CE to 1750 CE

-Diaspora = fancy word for spread

-The single most important early missionary to spread the teachings of Christ was Paul of Tarsus, who spread the teachings of Jesus around the Mediterranean Ocean through the sea lane trading networks. He was killed by the Romans for spreading the religion.

-Paul was one of the Twelve Apostles, who were the closest followers and students of Jesus. They were the first major missionaries throughout the Roman Empire.

-Through Missionaries, this religion spread to Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas (basically everywhere!)

-Became popular in the Middle East/SW Asia as well. Christians in the Major Islamic Empires (Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals, Abbasids) would have to pay the jizya tax to be allowed to worship, or would pay taxes to live in "millet" communities

-Christianity spread to Africa as well, with syncretic Christianity spreading to the Kongo (King Affonso and Queen Nzinga!) in the 1400's to 1600's, as well as Ethiopia. Leaders like Dona Beatriz led syncretic Christian Cults, like the cult of St. Anthony and the Antonian Movement

-Syncretic Christianity spread to the Americas with European Colonies and conquering after Columbus in 1492. Much of Latin American became Catholic, with cults surrounding the Virgin of Guadalupe (Miguel Hidalgo's symbol in the War for Independence in 1821)

Brahma and Reincarnation 600 BCE to 600 CE

-Hinduism is one of the most ancient religions, based off the Vedic Religions brought to India by the Aryans

-The core texts of Hinduism were based off of the Sanskrit scriptures and the Vedas--the core texts were the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads

- Hindus followed the teachings in these texts carefully to learn how to follow the teachings of Hinduism.

-One of the major themes of Hinduism found in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita was the idea of reincarnation. People who lived a good life and followed the codes of Hinduism would affect their "karma;" if people had good karma, they would be reincarnated (reborn) into a higher caste in their next life; if they had bad karma, they would be be reborn into a lower caste

-In order to teach about reincarnation, the Hindu Sanskrit texts gave examples of Brahma, the Hindu creator God, being reborn in different forms

-The Hindu creator god Brahma could be reborn into many different forms, and he even had four different faces. These Hindu epics helped teach people about reincarnation and how it worked in Hinduism

Effects of Belief Systems on Gender Roles

-In Era 1, 1200 CE to 1450 CE, the spread of religion was one of the major storylines as religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Confucianism (philosophy) spread around the world

-In particular, Buddhism, Christianity, and Confucianism affected gender roles, gender relationships, and women's roles in society

-As a sign of devotion to God/Buddha, Christian monks and nuns and Buddhist monks and nuns were required to be celibate and not have sex. They lived in monasteries where they focused on religion, and to keep themselves focused on the spiritual realm

-This lifestyle was called monasticism, where Christian and Buddhist monks and nuns lived in celibacy in monasteries

-Confucianism also affected gender roles by emphasizing filial piety. Filial piety meant that children should honor their parents and their ancestors

-In particular, male ancestors and male elders received the most respect. Confucianism and Chinese culture also emphasized the importance of male heirs, or having a male child to carry on the family line

-The emphasis in Confucianism on male heirs led to infanticide or killing of Chinese female babies in some cases

Delhi

-Capital City of the Islamic Delhi Sultanate in Northern India, which had been started by Turkic invaders

-The Delhi Sultanate had a large army, of over 300,000 Turkic men, at the peak of their power. However, their rule did not extend too far beyond Delhi.

-They tried to extend their rule south, but they were never able to overcome the Hindu forces there. They had no bureaucracy or government organization, and therefore had a hard time running their empire

-Even the capital city could be dangerous for the Turkic Islamic sultans--of the 35 sultans of Delhi, 19 were killed by assassins!

-Major trade city along the Silk Roads in India. India was famous for its fabrics, spices, and precious gems--diamonds, emeralds, etc. They would trade for silk, porcelain, glass, gold, wool, olive oil, etc.

-Included caravanserais, Silk Road hotels, where merchants could stay and rest their horses, camels, etc.

-This empire ended when Babur the Tiger, founder of the Mughal Empire, arrived in 1526 CE and defeated the Delhi Sultanate at the Battle of Panipat by using gunpowder and cannon. The sound of the guns and cannon caused the Delhi Sultanate's war elephants to panic and stampeded, trampling their own men

The Islamic Delhi Sultanate in Northern India, 1206 CE - 1526 CE

-As the Abbasid Caliphate started to fall apart, new Islamic Empires began to spread into the Middle East and South Asia. These people were known as Turkic peoples, as they originated in Turkey, and spread Islam east into India

-During the late 12th century, before the Mughals, Turkic Islamic invaders began a small empire in Northern India

-They established their capital city at Delhi and ruled over Northern India for more than three centuries

-They had a large Turkic Islamic army, of over 300,000 men, at the peak of their power. However, their rule did not extend too far beyond Delhi.

-They tried to extend their rule south, but they were never able to overcome the Hindu forces there. They had no bureaucracy or government organization, and therefore had a hard time running their empire

-Even Delhi could be dangerous for the sultans--of the 35 Turkic Islamic sultans of Delhi, 19 were killed by assassins!

-Ultimately they were still an important Islamic presence in Northern India, until the Mughals, another Turkic people, would invade and start their empire!

-This empire ended when Babur the Tiger, founder of the Mughal Empire, arrived in 1526 CE and defeated the Delhi Sultanate at the Battle of Panipat by using gunpowder and cannon. The sound of the guns and cannon caused the Delhi Sultanate's war elephants to panic and stampeded, trampling their own men

Shah Tughluq (1351-1388)

-As the Abbasid Caliphate started to fall apart, new Islamic Empires began to spread into the Middle East and South Asia. These people were known as Turkic peoples, as they originated in Turkey, and spread Islam east into India

-They established their capital city at Delhi and ruled over Northern India for more than three centuries

-Considered the greatest Sultan of the Islamic Delhi Sultanate

-Laid out a network of canals (waterways) and reservoirs

-Built hospitals, schools, and mosques

-Founded many new cities surrounding the capital of Delhi

-Kept the Ulama (Islamic scholars) happy, which helped his rule

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